The invention relates to a compound needle for use in stitch-forming machines, in particular knitting machines, such as circular knitting machines, crocheting Galon machines, knitting machines or other stitch-forming textile machines. Compound needles have a needle body with a hook that is used for stitch formation. The hook delimits the inside space of the hook that must be opened and closed in a controlled manner. This is achieved by a slider supported on the needle body, said slider being supported in such a manner that it can be shifted along the needle body. The needle body and the slider each have a foot that is actuated by a needle lock. A relative movement between the slider and the needle body opens and closes the inside space of the hook.
Such slider needles have been known from document DE 1 635 847 A1, for example. This publication discloses a compound needle with a needle base having a tube-shaped section. This tube-shaped section encloses a longitudinally aligned oval channel that accommodates the slider. The walls delimiting the tube-shaped section have a uniform thickness all around the circumference of the tube section.
This type of slider channel results in relatively large bending radii at the upper and lower floors of the slider channel. In order to allow the arrangement of the slider so that it is easily movable in the slider channel, the slider must have flanges that are precisely aligned in a parallel manner. The maximum height of the slider may extend only up to the beginning of the respective upper and lower curves of the slider channel. Therefore, this design has a relatively small slider height, thus reducing the stability and functionality of the slider.
However, it would also not be a good idea to leave the slider channel open, for example on its upper side, in order to create more room for the slider and in order to avoid rounded surfaces that might otherwise result in a jamming of the slider. It must be considered that the slider may fall out of the compound needle when the slider channels are open, this being the case, for example, when the needle is placed in a machine or removed therefrom.
Document DE 33 25 767 C1 has disclosed a solution to the aforementioned technical problem, said solution being suitable for short slider accommodation spaces. In this case, the needle body is provided with overlapping milled-out portions that complement each other to form a slider channel. As regards longer compound needles, this design has not been accepted on the market.
Considering this, it is the object of the invention to provide a compound needle that can be easily manufactured and that ensures precise guiding of the slider.